FIVE AREA BASES TO STRENGTHEN ANTI-DRUG EFFORT

Flanked by several grateful members of Congress, the federal drug czar is
expected to announce in Washington, D.C., today the addition of five bases
to a longstanding, largely secret narcotics-fighting army.

The five new High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task forces -- or
HIDTAs -- will this fall join the 10-year-old network's 21 established
branches, one of which covers South Florida.

"We are extremely proud to be able to name these new locations to the HIDTA
network," Gen. Barry McCaffrey told The Herald. "This organization's
strength is our best defense."

Helping to block the Pacific Northwest gateway will be Central Valley,
Calif.; Kauai, Hawaii, Maui and Oahu islands, Hawaii; and Deschuttes,
Jackson and Marion counties, Ore. Joining the Midwest leg are Cuyahoga,
Lucas, Mahoning, Stark and Summit counties, Ohio. The New England district,
protecting six adjacent states, will be headquartered in Boston.

An additional leadership position is being considered -- that of "executive
secretary" -- to add independent financial oversight now lacking from daily
operations, McCaffrey said.

Another sign of growth is the creation of a Web page, posted to the
Internet, to help HIDTA leaders through the paperwork maze of requesting
money and divvying up the proceeds of criminal property and cash seizures
among arresting agencies.